Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha was staying at the Karandaka Bamboo Park of Rājagṛha.
It was then that Venerable Śāriputra and Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila were staying on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa. At the time, Venerable Śāriputra roused from meditation in the afternoon and went to visit Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila. After they had exchanged greetings and pleasantries, he sat to one side. He said to Mahākauṣṭhila, “I have a question to ask. Would you have some free time to answer it?”
Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila said to Venerable Śāriputra, “Then ask it, sir. I will answer it with what I know.”
Venerable Śāriputra asked Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, “How is it, Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila? Is there old age?”
He replied, “There is.”
Venerable Śāriputra again asked, “Is there death?”
He replied, “There is.”
Again, Śāriputra asked, “How is it? Are old age and death made by oneself? Are they made by another? Are they made by oneself and another? Or are they made neither by oneself nor by another, being made without a cause?”
He replied, “Venerable Śāriputra, old age and death are not made by oneself, not made by another, not made by oneself and another, nor are they made by neither oneself nor another, being made without a cause. Still, old age and death exist because of the condition of birth.”
“So it was with birth, existence, grasping, craving, feeling, contact and the six senses. Are name and form made by oneself? Are they made by another? Are they made by oneself and another? Or are they made neither by oneself nor by another, being made without a cause?”
He replied, “Venerable Śāriputra, name and form are not made by oneself, not made by another, not made by oneself and another, nor are they made by neither oneself nor another, being made without a cause. Still, name and form do arise conditioned by awareness.”
Again, Śāriputra asked, “Is that awareness made by oneself? Is it made by another? Is it made by oneself and another? Is it made by neither oneself nor another, being made without a cause?”
He replied, “Venerable Śāriputra, that awareness is not made by oneself, not made by another, not made by oneself and another, nor is it made by neither oneself nor another, being made without a cause. Still, awareness does arise conditioned by name and form.”
Venerable Śāriputra again asked, “Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, before you said, ‘Name and form are not made by oneself, not made by another, not made by oneself and another, nor are they made by neither oneself nor another, being made without a cause. Still, name and form do arise conditioned by awareness.’ But now you say, ‘Name and form conditions awareness.’ What do you mean by this?”
Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila replied, “Now, I will explain it with an analogy, for intelligent people can understand something with analogies. Take the example of three reeds standing on open ground. They support each other in turn in order to stand upright. If one of them is removed, the other two won’t stand up. If two of them are removed, then the last one won’t stand up, either. They support each other in turn in order to stand upright. Awareness conditions name and form is the same way. They support each other in turn to arise and grow.”
Venerable Śāriputra, “Good, Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, good! Among the Bhagavān’s disciples, there’s one who is wise, insightful, well trained, fearless, who sees the teaching of immortality, and who themselves realize the teaching of immortality. It’s Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila who has such profound eloquence about the goal. He can answer all sorts of difficult questions. He’s like a priceless jewel that worldly people carry on the crowns of their heads. Now, I carry Mahākauṣṭhila on the crown of my head in the same way. Being here with you, I’ve been delighted to get a good benefit. All the other religious practitioners who visit here often will also get a good benefit because this Venerable is good at teaching the Dharma. Now, I would praise, recommend, and approve of Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila in thirty ways because of his Dharma teaching.”
Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila said, “[Someone who teaches] disillusionment with, lack of desire for, and complete cessation of old age and death is called a Dharma teacher. Teaching disillusionment with, lack of desire for, and complete cessation of birth … existence … grasping … craving … feeling … contact … the six senses … name and form … awareness is called being a Dharma teacher. If a monk is disillusioned with, lacks desire for, and heads for complete cessation of old age and death, he is called a Dharma teacher … disillusioned with, lacks desire for, and headed for complete cessation of awareness, he is called a Dharma teacher. If a monk is disillusioned with, lacks desire for, and completely ceases old age and death, doesn’t produce contaminants, and his mind is well liberated, he is called a Dharma teacher … disillusioned with, lacks desire for, completely ceases awareness, doesn’t produce contaminants, and his mind is well liberated, he is called a Dharma teacher.
Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila said to Venerable Śāriputra, “Good, good! Among the Bhagavān’s disciples, there’s one who is wise, insightful, well trained, fearless, who sees the teaching of immortality, and who themselves realized the teaching of immortality. It’s Venerable Śāriputra who’s able to ask all sorts of profound questions about correct knowledge. He’s like a worldly priceless jewel that people carry on the crowns of their heads. Now, you are like this. All the religious practitioners everywhere carry him on their crowns, giving him respect and serving him. Today, I’ve been delighted to get a good benefit and have a discussion about the wondrous goal with this Venerable.”
Those two upright men were delighted by each other, and then each returned to his place.